


In Which Shiro is the Most Evil and Takes Joy in Ruining the Innocent Keith's Life (According to Keith)

by gingayellow



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 04:11:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9475139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: Post-"Blade of Marmora." Shiro assures Keith that he's a good person. [SPOILERS for up to episode 8 of season 2, Shiro/Keith]





	

Title: In Which Shiro is the Most Evil and Takes Joy in Ruining the Innocent Keith's Life (According to Keith)  
Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender  
Characters/Pairing: Shiro/Keith  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Parental death mentions.  
Notes: The obligatory post-"Blade of Marmora" fic. ;P Spoilers for episodes 8 of season 2! 

I.... wasn't in the mood to give this thing a title, can you tell.

\--

Keith didn’t trust his memories of his mother.

She left when he was young, and Dad told stories about her so often—so detailed and rich—that he couldn’t be sure if they were really his memories or his brain piecing together a mother for him. But when he thought of her, there were familiar images. A kind smile. Kinder eyes. Dark hair that looked almost purple in some lights.

When he was almost three years old, he’d reached for the stove—and it must have been on, since Mom snatched him away, her grip like steel. 

Not unlike the steel blade she’d given Dad, and Dad had given to Keith. 

Keith examine his reflection in the knife (sword now), looking for. He didn’t know. A memory, maybe? Maybe if he stared long enough, he’d remember something in his past, or one of Dad’s stories, and it would tell him about his mother. Why did she leave them. Was she really as kind as Dad claimed. 

Did she serve the Galra Empire, who’d hurt countless beings, Shiro among them.

“Keith?” Speaking of Shiro… “I brought you some leftover goo from dinner.” His tone was warm. He was probably smiling as he spoke. “It would make Coran feel a lot better if I told him you skipped his home cooked dinner because you were busy rather than the truth.” 

The plan was to keep quiet. Shiro would assume he was gone, leave, and then Keith wouldn’t be bothered for the rest of the night.

“C’mon, Keith.” The warmth was gone from Shiro’s tone. “I’m worried about you.”

Keith caved, letting out a frustrated huff as he put away his mother’s blade (it wasn’t as well-hidden as it had been under the pillow now that it was awakened, but oh well), and went to unlock the door. “Just put the goo wherever. I don’t want to put you out.”

But Shiro just shook his head, placing the aforementioned goo on a night table. “If you ask me to leave, I will. But,” and Shiro **smirked** , blast him, “I’m guessing that I can charm you into talking.”

Keith felt his face heat up, folding his arms across his chest. “You suck.”

Shiro shrugged. “Perhaps I do. But that’s never stopped you from talking to me before.”

… He always did this. Most people would give up on Keith after he told them to shut up, but Shiro would just keep gently talking and/or making corny jokes until Keith finally relented. But this wasn’t just Iverson being a jerk, or cadets talking about Keith behind his back. This wasn’t about Lance being Lance. This was…

“What about you, Shiro?”

“I’m sorry?”

“How are you holding up?” He doubted this would distract Shiro for long, but it wasn’t just a distraction. “If anything’s wrong, I’ll fix it. Right now. I’ll do anything for you, for this team—”

“Woah, buddy.” Shiro placed a metal hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Of course you would, Keith. Your loyalty’s never been in question. But let’s focus on you for now, okay?”

It was too much. Keith could barely figure out what to do if someone complimented him, but this much gentleness/trust/no fear made his eyes sting and an undignified noise escape him. He should have pulled away when Shiro pulled him into a hug, but he was selfish and hugged Shiro back with all his strength.

“It’s not supposed to be this way,” he whispered into Shiro’s shoulder. “I’m supposed to protect you, not the other way around.”

“Hey.” Shiro stroked Keith’s back with the Galra hand (and for one bleak moment, he wondered if his mother had been involved in whatever has cause Shiro to lose his right arm). “You matter, too.”

“But you’ve been through so much. I need to help you with that.”

“Keith, you do.”

That didn’t matter. “The last thing you need is to…” Keith huffed. “To comfort some punk because he’s upset about his mom.”

Shiro was silent for a moment, still stroking Keith’s back. “Keith,” Shiro whispered into Keith’s ear. “Here’s a wild idea. Maybe—just maybe—we can do both.” 

Keith let out a shaky breath that was almost like a laugh. “Why is your sense of humor so dorky.”

Shiro shoved Keith away, but only by half an inch, so Keith doubted he was really upset. “There was a time you said I was the funniest person you ever knew.”

“I was eighteen and a freshman when I said it. The only person I knew well before you was my Dad and…” And his Mom. Maybe.

… And Shiro was giving him that look, so he may as well explain. “My Mom left us when I was a toddler. And she was the one who gave Dad the blade, so I’m guessing she was Galran.”

Shiro was holding him again. “If she gave your father a Blade of Marmora, there’s a good chance that she’s part of the rebellion.”

“Or that she killed a Blade and gave the knife to Dad a trophy before leaving to fight for the Empire again.”

Shiro made a face. “Ah, yes. Keith logic at its finest.” 

“It is a possibility.” Keith did his best to ignore the pain in his chest. “I hate not knowing if there’s something I need to rectify in the universe.”

“Keith, take it from someone who wonders a lot about bad stuff in his past.” Shiro’s body was tense, but he kept going. “You’re not your mother. Or your father. What you’re doing right now is what matters. And right now?” He took Keith’s chin in his right hand. “You’ve saved my butt countless times, along with a lot of other people. Trust me, you’re a good person.”

They were simple, sincere words that made Keith hide in Shiro again. “Thank you.”

They were quiet after that, but Keith was aware of how Shiro held him close with his left hand, and his right thumb almost brushed Keith’s lips. There had always been close, but this was something new. Something good.

And it was probably going to bite him, but…. “Shiro. If you’re thinking about kissing me, I don’t mind.”

Shiro pressed his forehead against Keith, eyes closed. “I am.”

Keith’s world went still.

But then Shiro opened his eyes. “After you eat Coran’s goo.”

“You—” Keith was this close to screaming. “You suck, and you’re also a dork!”

“All things I already knew, Keith. Now eat up.”

Keith finished his dinner in record time.


End file.
